Keeper Glyn Thompson proud in defeat

GOALKEEPER Glyn Thompson left the Wembley pitch on Saturday with his head held high after what looks certain to be his last match for Newport County.

The 31-year-old has yet to speak to manager Justin Edinburgh about a new contract and the end of his five-year stay at Spytty Park looks likely to be confirmed this week.

There was no fairytale ending for the man signed by Peter Beadle back in 2007, who went on to be a hero in the 2009-10 Blue Square Bet South championship-winning side under Dean Holdsworth.

He couldn’t sign off by lifting the FA Trophy as York City eased to a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Matty Blair and Lanre Oyebanjo.

But after enduring the season from hell, Thompson was probably just glad to be out there in the sun, playing on one of the biggest stages in world football.

Unwanted and told not to report for training by previous manager Anthony Hudson back in July, Thompson has maintained a dignified silence in one of the most difficult campaigns of his career.

After seeing off the challenge of new number one Danny Potter in January and playing a key part in the run to the FA Trophy final, he was supplanted once again by loan signing Karl Darlow as the season drew to a close.

But after the club’s protracted and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle to have Darlow available to play on Saturday, Edinburgh turned to Thompson.

And the former Shrewsbury and Fulham stopper insisted that his preparations had not been affected by the messy dispute with the FA over Darlow’s international clearance.

“It made no difference to me. I just prepared as if I was playing and it didn’t bother me and Darlow,” he said.

“We just got our heads down and got on with it. It wasn’t a disruption at all.

“He’s got to be disappointed but he knew he probably wasn’t going to be able to play.

“He’s a very good goalkeeper and he’s only 21. He’s going to have plenty more opportunities to play on a stage like this. To play at Wembley is what every boy dreams about and to fulfil that dream
is an amazing feeling.

“Everyone is disappointed with the result,” he added. “Everyone came here to get a result and we’ve not done that but I think we can be proud of what we have achieved in getting here and competing
well.

“On another day it could have been different. I think I did all right. I saw the first goal again on the big screen, which is not something you usually get the chance to do with Newport County, and
it was just a split-second decision to come out.

“Another day it would have gone over the top but it wasn’t to be.”

Like so many of his team-mates at Wembley, Thompson is now out of contract and he admitted he doesn’t know what the future holds.

“I’ve not spoken with the manager about the future yet,” he said. “It could end up being my last game for the club but it was all about the game and that is what I’ve been focused on.”